Taming a Dark Heart - Ch 13 - Questions Answered

Hi guys!
Thanks for the amazing comments! The most Ive had thus far :)
Thanks to the people that read and commented on my last note too. I love you're predictions for this chapter :P.
If you haven't read the note then Id like to say thank you again for the 1040+ hits on chapter 1. I'm so excited....(even though I know other authors get more...)

And guys, I haven't decided on doing a sequel yet. For now though I think I would like to end TADH without leaving you hanging too much.
So if you have any ideas for a brand new story I'd love to hear them :)
(I look for original....;) ).

This chapter is dedicated to people who have stuck by my story and commented on most of the chapters...(you know who you are and I really love you guys...). And to the people that have emailed me with such amazingly sweet messages...

This is NOT the last chapter... don't worry ;)

Comments! emails!??!!

luv u guys!*********

(just felt a bit creative and made a pic for my favorite 2 characters :), hope you like lol. remember you don't have to think of them like that... its just what I think but with Gabe with darker hair...)

.....Danny’s point of view.....

The villa just didn’t seem the same. It just seemed so empty even though all the workers were busy getting ready for the funeral. I walked to Gabriele’s office door. I looked up at the huge wooden door and remembered the first time I stood there. I was so excited and terrified all at once. A small smile crept on my face as I thought about it.

I pushed the big doors open and immediately smelt Gabriele’s expensive perfume. It somehow made me feel at ease, almost like he was there. I walked across the room to his desk. I looked up at the big leather chair with its back to me. I walked over and spun it around almost hoping to see Gabriele sitting there and his green eyes making me feel so scared. Strange huh? How the things we fear in life can sometimes bring us the most comfort?

I ran my hand over the dark wooden desk and my hands ended on some papers. It seemed to be sketches of houses and rooms. Architects plans? I wonder why he would need these.

I missed Kara. Yes I did have a crush on her from the day I saw her but I knew we were never meant to be. I could see in her eyes how much she loved Gabriele and I respected that. But I did miss her smile and hugs these past 2 days.

I walked outside making my way to the cottage. I was surprised to see the door slightly open. I pushed it open and saw Marie-Lou sitting on the bed with her knees hugged to her chest. I sat down next to her and lightly stroked her back as she cried.
"They can’t be gone Danny, they just can’t..." - I put my arms around her and I felt a tear fall down my cheek at the thought. She lifted her head and I just saw sadness in her brown eyes. Her face was wet and her eyes were puffy. I don’t know why but I just had to make her feel better. I cupped her face in my hand and kissed her very lightly on the lips. Then I kissed her forehead and held her tighter as she cried with my chin on top of her head.

It seemed like hours that we sat there but I’m sure it was just moments. I had the scene of the warehouse collapsing in my mind. It was playing over and over again. I kept wanting Gabriele or Kara to come running out. But nothing.

The ambulance had come and gone, taking away all the hurt people.
The fire brigade had put out the fire. They found Mr Adams charred shoe and presumed foot -enough evidence that he was dead. ...

"Hang on a second Marie..." - I suddenly spoke and it startled her from the long silence. "The firemen didn’t find any evidence of Kara and Gabriele right?"
"Right, where are you taking this Danny?" - She looked at me through narrow, puffy eyes, very skeptical.
"They must still be alive Marie! They must have escaped somehow..." - I was now on my feet feeling excited.
"Danny, come on. You know that’s impossible..." - I sighed a deep sigh and sat down again She was right. We would have seen them run out if they did escape.

"You may be right Marie but do you think you can come with me anyway? I need to make sure for myself?" - She looked at me for a moment, silent.
"I'll come with Danny. But please, please let’s leave it be after this..." - I smiled and gave her a kiss on the cheek excited again.
"I love you let’s go!" - wait, what did I just say? "Wait, I didn’t, I, um..." then she jumped up and kissed me on the lips.
"You talk too much Danny" - she smiled a cheeky smile and held onto my hand pulling me out the cottage, feeling dumbfounded.

**********
We drove up to the warehouse site and it was very surreal. There was nothing, just ash everywhere and remnants of metal and charred boxes. A bare frame of the building was visible. The wind was blowing slightly and it was stirring the ashes around us.

We jumped out the car and made our way over. Marie trailed behind me but I held her hand as we walked to reassure her. I saw James there. He seemed to be doing some work investigating of some sort. So it was just the three of us.
"Hi James" - I still had to greet him even if he had lied to us.
"Actually Danny my name is Samuel, detective Samuel Baron. I’m here to give a report on what took place here"- I didn’t know what to say to that so I didn’t respond. Instead I walked away into the ashes.

"You shouldn’t be going there Danny..." - I heard James, I mean Samuel call out to me. I suddenly felt anger well up inside me and explode.
"Listen Samuel, you are not going to do this. Not after all we’ve been through. Do not try and stop me..." - it actually came out as a growl and it left the big guy just looking at me speechless.

I walked and looked around for some evidence that they were alive. Marie still held onto my hand and she seemed pretty scared. I could feel her hand shaking.
We treaded slowly not wanting to stand on anything harmful and just generally scared to not stand on something we wouldn’t want to...

"I just don’t believe they are dead..." - I mumbled to myself but obviously was heard by Samuel and Marie.
"What do you think you are going to find here Danny? What will prove to you that they are here or gone?" - Marie asked me, she looked like she was going to cry again as her eyes filled with tears.
I pulled her to me and hugged her close, "I don’t know Marie but I just needed to-". Then something shiny caught my attention.
I pulled away from her gently motioning her to follow me.

I looked to the ground and blew some of the ash away. There beneath the ash was the metal flooring. It was intact
I looked around and realized that the metal flooring everywhere else had melted in some way but this patch was nearly intact. How was that possible?

"What did you find kid?" - I heard Samuel call over but I just ignored him as I brushed more ash off the seemingly untouched metal.
Marie bent down and helped me as Samuel walked over.
We crouched and looked at the metal. I looked closer and realized there was a ring in it.
Could it be?

I pushed my finger into the ring and pulled as hard as I could. It budged slightly but I just wasn’t strong enough.
"What is it Danny? " - Marie-Lou asked and I shrugged not knowing the answer.
"Step aside Danny..." - I looked at Samuel. How could I trust him? I didn’t have much of a choice though.

He thrust his finger through the loop and pulled upward. His face turned red as he pulled and just as we began to give up the panel lifted open forcing Samuel to land on his backside hard.
I peeked my head down. It was a hole of some sort. There was a ladder leading downward.

"Wait Danny, how do you know it’s safe?" - Marie- Lou caught hold of my shoulder.
"Please Marie, I have to know..." - she then let go of me and I climbed down the ladder slowly. There was a soft light from inside the hole and I climbed lower.

I touched the ground and looked around. It seems like a house of some sort, I guess like a bomb shelter. And there sitting on the bed to my left was Gabriele with Kara nestled in his arms. He was looking at me with a small smile on his face.

*******
....Marie-Lou’s point of view...

"Danny, are you okay down there! Please answer me!" - I hadn’t heard any noises in a while and I was worried that he wasn’t okay.
Then I heard movement and looked down with Samuel.
There being pushed up to ground level was a body. Oh no...
"Samuel, take her now!" – I heard Danny shout up to Samuel and I watched Kara being lifted up, Samuel took a hold of her. Thank God!

Then someone else came up. Someone covered in dirt and then he looked up. It was Gabriele! I helped pull him up and I threw myself to him to hug him as Danny came up. He was alive!
Danny came up and patted Gabriele on the back as I hugged him tightly.
"You don’t ever do that to me again Gabriele...." - I said sternly to him as a tear fell down my cheek. He felt like a brother to me and Danny and I felt so relieved.
"Don’t worry Marie, we are okay" - Kara, wait was she okay?

I let go of Gabriele and he took Kara out of Samuels’s arms.
"We need to get her to a hospital... she’s really weak" - he spoke as he walked toward Danny’s car.
The four of us jumped into the car and left Samuel there as we sped off.

********
...Danny’s point of view...

"Doc, doc. How is she?" - Gabriele grabbed hold of a nurse who rushed by, trying to find out if Kara was okay.
"We don’t know yet sir. Please wait for the doctor. He’ll be out as soon as he can" – he nodded and I watched as the muscles in his jaw tensed. He began pacing again. He had been for the past hour and I was sure there would be a dent in the ground by the end of this.

"Oh no, please tell me she’s ok?" - We turned around and watched as Kara’s friends all stormed in. They looked very worried. Mae-Ling had a teddy bear in her hand and she walked.

"Gabriele, how did you guys survive for 2 days down there?" - I tried to get Kara off his mind and I genuinely did want to know how they made it.

He stopped pacing and sat on the cold metal chair next to me. Marie-Lou and the others gathered close to us as he spoke.
"Well the fire was raging around us and I really didn’t know what to do. Then I suddenly saw the ring to the opening in the floor. And yeah I guess I got us in just in time. I think Adam was using that place as an almost bomb shelter. It was fully stocked with food and water to get us by. At least the good for nothing did something right... Anyway, the whole time I tried getting the door back open but I just couldn’t. So we were stuck. Thank God you found us though guys. Maybe Kara will be okay now" – I watched as tears filled his eyes. Wow, Gabriele Lombardi, emotional? I never thought I would ever see it. Marie and I hugged him together forgetting any macho-ness and genuinely worrying about Kara.

"Mr Lombardi?" - Gabriele immediately jumped to his feet.
"Yes, yes that’s me? Is she okay? Please tell me she’s gona be okay? Please..." – Gabriele actually began shaking the poor doctor as he begged for answers.
"Please sir, calm down!" - Gabriele let go of his arm and the doctor pulled his attire straight.
"She’s going to be fine Mr Lombardi. We operated on her gunshot wound and cleaned it out. Luckily it didn’t get infected. Someone must have been taking good care of her" - Gabriele smiled and I watched his shoulders drop as he relaxed a little. He seemed a bit chuffed to have been the one the doctor as referring to.

"But she did need a large transfusion. She had lost a lot of blood and her pressure was very low. It seems to be stabling slowly and she should be able to go home in 2 days time, if she will be properly cared for?" - The doctor raised an eyebrow at us all.
"Of course doc, thank-you so much" - Gabriele grasped the doctors hand and shook it quite a few times.
The doctor walked off with a smile of his face and shaking his head.

***********
...Kara’s point of view...

.............. I dream of a day when I'm free from doubt...............Where fate wins out...............And I overcome my fear...........

I dreamt He was holding me. I could feel the life in me fading and yet I felt so safe in His arms. I knew I was safe with Him. I felt safe in His arms. I felt myself being lifted and sunlight shining on my body. So warm yet so cold without Him. Where are you? I want you back. I want to feel warm again. Life being pushed back into my body, life into my shell. Life to make me feel again, to bring me back. I feel it pulsing through me, making me stronger. I feel my soul find its place in my shell again, fitting perfectly. I’m not numb anymore... I feel the pain....

My eyes fluttered open and I tilted my face to my left. I felt the oxygen mask on my face. The beep of what sounded like a heart rate monitor resounded throughout the room to my left.

............I've been told that we learn from our mistakes..............But I just don't know how many mistakes it takes......... Clear, that I made the right choice......... I praise the day when I'm free from doubt.....

There was Candice next to me. I turned my face back up slowly feeling brand new and looked straight up and into green eyes as he bent down to rest his lips softly on my forehead.

Please keep the comments coming! Tell me how you feel? or just anything.

Ch 14 should be out kinda soon and it could be the final one...not sure yet :P